condell



No. 65,679. Patented Dec. l3, I898.

. H. J.v CDNDELL,

TOE CLIP FOR BICYCLES.

(Application filed Oct. 8, 1897.)

(No Model.)

nfill llllllllll bgil I 0 .I ,71/ I I wwzgz w Herzry fComde/fi UNITEDSTATES HENRY J. CONDELL, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

TOE-CLIP FOR BICYCLES.

SPEGTEFIGATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 615,679, datedDecember 13, 1898. Application filed October 8, 1897. Serial No. 654,188. (N0 model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HENRY J. CONDELL, a citizen of the United States,residing at New York city, in the county of New York and State of NewYork, have invented certain new from the pedal or any need of tilting itinto.

an unusual or inconvenient position, the said clip and its operative armbeing located at the front of the pedal and possessing the maximumstrength with the minimum weight and complexity.

The invention also has for its further obj'ects to provide moresatisfactory means of attachment than those hitherto employed, guardingmore effectively against twisting of the clip and generally increasingthe reliability and durability of this article.

To these ends my invention consists partly in the combination of ahinged toe-clip with a bicycle-pedal and a support or supportingplaterigid with the latter, the hinge connecting the said clip to the saidsupport being approximately in the same horizontal plane with thetread-surface of the pedal and the said clip being provided with a rigidlever-arm, which is bent up behind the hinge of the clip into positionto be acted on by a slight downward motion of the riders foot, so as totilt the body of the clip over on his toes in the usual position.

The said invention also consists in the combination, with thesupporting-plate to which the toe-clip is hinged, of the pedal-frameanda clamping-plate having tongues or flanges bent upon a part of the saidframe for the purpose of holding the supporting-plate thereto andpreventing the toe-clip from turning laterally.

The said invention also consists in the combination of the pedal-frameand a supportingplate attached thereto with a toe-clip hinged thepedal-frame, and

to the said supporting-plate and provided with a lever-arm having stopsformed thereon to prevent the said toe-clip from moving too far ineither direction.

The said invention consists, finally, in certain additional features ofconstruction and combination hereinafter more particularly set forth andclaimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a perspective View ofa pedal provided with a toe-clip embodying my invention, the latterbeing closed on the toes of the rider (shown in dotted lines) inposition for propelling the machine. Fig. 2 represents a side elevationof the same, the toe-clip being in its normal position, with the ridersfoot (shown in full lines) ready for operating the same to close thesaid clip on his toes; also, in dotted lines his foot is shown as thrusttoo far forward and bearing on the tip of the clip. Fig. 3 represents adetail view of the leverarm, showing the shoulders and recurved tip ofthe same, which act as stops. Fig. 4 represents a detail view of thesupport to which the clip is hinged. Fig. 5 represents a detail View ofthe clamping-plate, hereinafter described.

A designates the pedal shaft or spindle, B C the sleeve clamped to thecross-bars B of the said frame, all as hitherto known and used. Casingsfor the ball-bearings are provided, consisting partly of cups D, formedon the ends of the said sleeve, and partly of oppositely-arran ged cupsD, which are fastened to said cross-bars respectively by screws d. Ihave not deemed it necessary to show the ball-bearin gs nor the inclosedjournal of the spindle, these parts being of quite ordinary constructionand in no way affecting my invention. A supporting-plate E is fastenedto the forward side of the said pedal-frame by a bolt E and consists ofa vertical part through which the said bolt passes and a horizontal partbent forward at right angles in approximatelythe same horizontal planeas the tread of the said pedal. A clamping-plate F, which has itslateral edges f bent around the edges of the said vertical part of thesaid supporting-plate, is also provided at its bottom edge with lugs orflanges F, that are bent under the said frame. The said clamping-platehas a vertical slot F formed therein, which allows the shank of the boltE to pass through it and permits the Vertical adjustment of the saidplate to a pedal-frame of any size. This is an important feature, astheir heights vary consider-.

ably. I do not, however, claim this feature of adjustment by slot andscrew as broadly new, it having been used in toe-clips heretofore.

The supporting-plate E has hinge knuckles or lugs E formed on theforward end of its horizontal part, in which a transverse pintle E isfixed, both the plate and pintle being very slightly below the level ofthe top or tread of the said pedal-frame. The said plate E has anopening E formed in it between the said hinge and the said frame for thelever-arm, hereinafter described, to work up through.

G designates the toe-clip, which has on its rear end a pair of knucklesG, turning on the said pintle, so that the said clip is hingedapproximately in the same horizontal plane as that of the tread of thesaid pedal.

II designates the lever-arm of the toe-cli p, which is integraltherewith, said lever-arm being preferably formed by taking a tonguefrom the metal blank in cutting the toe-opening G of the said clip andturning the said tongue reversely up through the opening E then forwardagain to a point over the hinge, where its tip II is slightly recurved,forming a stop which prevents the toe-clip from turning backward too farby its contact with the top of supporting-plate E. On the sides of thesaid lever-arm II are formed shoulders H which in like manner preventthe said clip from falling downward and forward too far, since they comein contact with the under side of the said supporting-plate when thesaid toe-clip has reached its desired open position. This is the normalposition of the said clip when not moved by the foot of a rider, so asto overlap his toes and the forward part of his foot. The heavier partof the said clip when in this open position is much nearer the framethan when in position on the foot for use, and its weight thereforeexerts much less leverage on the pedal than in the case of ordinarytoe-clips. The slant of the pedal is correspondingly lessened when theriders foot is not on its facilitating the placing of the foot on and inthe said pedal and toe-clip. This position is taken automatically by theaction of gravity only on the said toe-clip. I am enabled, therefore, todispense with springs and other extraneous mechanical appliances.

Vhen the rider places his foot on the pedal in the natural way, it takesthe position shown in full lines in Fig. 2, with a slight slant upwardabove the lever-arm H. By depressing the toes the said lever-arm is alsodepressed sufficiently to bring the toe-clip over the toes into theposition shown in Fig. 1. No backward or withdrawing motion of the footis required, so that I avoid all risk of the rider losing the pedalthereby.

If by chance the foot is moved too far for ward before striking thepedal, so that the toes rest on the tip of the toe-clip, (see dottedlines, Fig. 2,) my construction thereof allows the machine to beoperated without hindrance until there is an opportunity to take theproper position within the clip by slightly withdrawing the foot, so asto drop on the lever without danger of losing the pedal.

In using ordinary toe-clips there is always some probability that thefastening-bolt may be loosened and the clip turned laterally by thetwisting action of the foot in dismounting. The clam ping-plate F, withits overlapping side edges and bottom lugs, is an effectual remedy forthis defect.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In combination with a bicycle-pedal and its toe-clip, a support ofangular form having its horizontal part approximately in the same planewith the tread of the pedal though slightly below the same, the saidtoe-clip being hinged to the forward end of the said horizontal part andprovided with a leverarm which is bent up through an opening in the saidpart, in order that the pressure of the riders foot on the end of thesaid lever may tilt the toe-clip over into the position ordinarily takenduring propulsion of the machine substantially as set forth.

2. In combination with a bicycle'pedal and asupporting-plate attachedthereto, a toe-clip hinged to the said plate and provided with anactuating lever-arm, having its tip recurved to form a stop for engagingwith the said plate, in order that the said toe-clip may not turn overtoo far substantially as set forth.

3. In combination with abicycle-pedal and a supporting-plate attachedthereto, a toe-cli p hinged to the said supporting-plate and aclamping-plate attached to the pedal-frame and embracing the said edgesof the said supporting-plate, the said clamping-plate being providedwith lugs that extend under the said frame to guard the said clipagainst lateral turning substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HENRY J. CONDELL.

Witnesses:

WM. H. BABCOCK, JOSEPH R. EDSON.

